HGPI held its first “30-minute Health Policy Update,” a new series of briefings for Diet Members about the most pressing health policy issues today. This first meeting covered the topic of “Tokyo 2020 and Infectious Diseases – The Challenge of AMR.”

Dr. Kazuhiro Tateda (President of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases / President, The Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology / Professor, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Toho University) presented on the current need for policies on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Afterward, there was a question and answer session with the gathered Diet Members.

■Background
Every year, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) leads to the death of as many as 700,000 people around the world. In Japan, AMR is becoming an issue for many medical facilities, and cases of community-acquired drug-resistant infections on the rise nationally. Japan enacted a National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance in April 2016, and has been promoting AMR-related measures ever since. Sensing growing concern about AMR domestically and abroad, HGPI has been pursuing policy action on this topic since 2016. In November 2018, HGPI partnered with academic societies working in infectious disease medicine, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device makers, to establish AMR Alliance Japan, an independent platform for the promotion of multisector discussion on AMR countermeasures. More information about AMR Alliance Japan can be found at the official website.

■Program
Welcoming Remarks
Hanako Jimi (Member of the House of Councillors)

Explanatory Introduction
Shunichiro Kurita (Senior Associate, HGPI)

Presentation “Tokyo 2020 and Infectious Diseases – The Challenge of AMR”
Kazuhiro Tateda (President of the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases/President, The Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology/Professor, Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Toho University)

Closing Remarks
Kiyoshi Kurokawa (Chairman, HGPI)